Well - here goes. I am going to ignore my shame and ignorance, and have a go at a scenario to show how a new boy learns the ropes. I want all the advice I can get, and I hope you will learn some stuff with me.

I will try to post lots of screen shots to show what I am trying to do/explore behind the map, as it were. Please let me know if this is too much or too little. It will be slow for sure!

So here's the plan - red inf corps, black are the mech/pz corps. One inf. corps up the the coast into Courland, then my double envelopment/hell for leather to Riga and Daugavpils. The whole scenario is about capturing Lenin's city, so that's the overall strategic plan - capture Leningrad double quick. Simple, innit?

First assault going in with an extra Pioneer battalion assigned for the close work! This battalion was with the Division's HQ unit but I want to be sure with this attack, because I'll be embarrassed it if fails!

Recon shows an armoured unit across the Neman, 32nd reinforced with STuGs and Flak cross the river and drive what turns out to be the 2nd Tank Division away from the main line of advance and destroy 122 AFV's. An Iron Cross 1st Class to the commander of the 600th Assault Gun Battalion?

Great start Von J. Don't worry how it turns out. If the truth be known we'll all have many restated games before we get it right. You talk about Admin pts to replace your leader. What are your choices?

What are the round graphics, with tank, aircraft and aircraft/camera inside.

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Those are Battle Sites Joe. Each combat plus air transport and air recon missions generate those icons (pretty easy to figure which are which). When you go into that mode (currently F11), then they are depicted on the map allowing you to review what has occurred. Those on this screen are Axis, Soviets are different colored. You will be able to see attacks from both sides on your current turn that include your opponents last turn afterwhich they reset so you only ever see one full turn of icons.

Here is an example of the pop-up that appears at the top of the screen when you L-click on one of these icons. This one was a German attack onto a Soviet Tank division on turn 3 of the 41 Campaign.

Great start Von J. Don't worry how it turns out. If the truth be known we'll all have many restated games before we get it right. You talk about Admin pts to replace your leader. What are your choices?

Hi Critter (nice name)

Admin Points can be used for a number of things. Each turn, depending on difficulty level, each player gets a number of ap's that can be spent that turn or saved up to a given limit.

They can be used to place units in a static mode or reactivate them from a static mode. You can use them to change out leaders of various ground and air Hq's, reassign formations to different Hq's, reassign support units to Hq's and in some cases to division (German) or corps (Soviet) formations. They can also be used for building fortified zones and for the Soviets creating an assortment of units. You can also "motorize" infantry formations for that turn to get them to the front (or rear) quicker, but that eats up a bunch of points. I might be missing some of the things they can be used for but that's the bulk of them. Since we are still in alpha, some of these may get modified and new ways of using them may be added in.

What are your leader choices? Since this is a 41 AGN sen. Can you choose any leader? Manstein? Or only those not in command in other jobs? Whats the cut off point? How bad does your leader have to be that it makes sense to change him vs use your points to further attack?

Here's the after battle report of the Mot Division I just shattered. Note relative casualties. Please note that some 6000 men, 45 guns and 45 afvs escaped from this battle - no doubt to reform and get thrown into my path at some later date!

Just wondering if the game retains the movement plotting mechanics of the original. I found that very annoying and clunky.

I am informed that there is no original! This is a unique, once in a generation new game! (And it is reeling me in good and proper [;)]

To answer your question, no clunky movement plotting: you move and fight with as many action points as you have, in any order you choose and you can go back to units you have already moved etc until they have no more points left. It's really easy to use.

Yup - see the name of this thread! This the Road to Leningrad scenario (and I'm playing it on normal settings, with FOW for both sides). You see the darkened hexes at the South of the overview screen shot? That's the edge of the playable map.

What are your leader choices? Since this is a 41 AGN sen. Can you choose any leader? Manstein? Or only those not in command in other jobs? Whats the cut off point? How bad does your leader have to be that it makes sense to change him vs use your points to further attack?

I don't know really, Critter, except that my choices are limited. The three support units I have attached to combat units have cost me an admin point each.

Here's a shot of the choices to replace a Corps Commander (this was before I used my points! The cost to dismiss this corps commander would have been 9 points ie ALL my points this turn, so clearly not worth it, although I would love to have Model in the thick of things, in charge of an infantry corps). I'm only really interested in Leaders Armour/Infantry rating so far - that's the second pair of M I in the table. I know Initiative matters a great deal too. Advice welcome here![;)]

Stuart, I completely missed that you are now an official tester, so first of all: congratulations!

As to the AAR: Is there any incentive for the Axis player to widen the front as much as reasonably possible (in order to create a bigger ring around Leningrad), which was a significant flaw in the historical plan and in my opinion the main thing that slowed the final advance to Leningrad to a crawl compared to the initial advance. For once, the Soviets could use backhand blows of their own, more or less sending 8th Panzer and most of 3rd Infantry (mot) back to the drawing board during the battle for Soltsy, to name one example.

If the Axis player can decide to go "Leningrad or bust" and just focus on a narrow front, the advance to Leningrad could be a lot easier than it was historically.

I can go as wide as Kabozha and even furtherEast up in the North, and to Rzhev, to Torzhok and Vyshny Volochek in the East but I won't want to! [;)] This is only 15 turnsI agree with creating a wide Eastern flank as far as I can, but just taking Leningrad with these forces is going to be tough enough. If I can take (and hold) Velikie Luki and Novgorod I shall be very pleased - I gather these are key 'swing' cities in this scenario. If I can hold them both I should be in a good position to win, I am told!